


Cake Among Friends

by xphilemon



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Birthday, Gen, HAPPY BIRTHDAY AKECHI!!!, i dedicate this fic to rina thank u for inspiring this and helping me plan it, i hope you all enjoy!!!! i really loved writing this tbh, it's a day late but w/e
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-03
Updated: 2017-06-03
Packaged: 2018-11-08 14:35:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11083623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xphilemon/pseuds/xphilemon
Summary: Akechi comes home to a surprise. On his birthday no less.





	Cake Among Friends

"Thank you very much."

  
Akechi was used to the giggles and whispers that followed him after leaving the convenience store. It was just another part of being, well, Goro Akechi. One of the parts he disliked. He had considered attempting to wear less recognizable clothing -- something he could blend in with but he was just coming home from a long day at the police station. Another day of covering the tracks of the Phantom Theives. Why had he agreed to do this for so long….

  
Akechi sighed, running a gloved hand through his hair as he turned the corner and climbed the darkened stairs to his apartment. It was just another night of coming home alone. Except that when he reached the door, it was clear that the hall light was on. _Did I…_ No. He wasn't foolish enough to leave the damned lights on after leaving. That meant someone was inside. Even if it was a h was only so much one genius detective needed to get by.

  
He made quite the show of taking his keys out of his pocket, jingling the ring loud enough that if there were a thief in his home they would know he were coming through the door. And _if_ there were a thief in his home…

  
"Wow! You really live like this Akechi? Ryuji lost that bet for sure…" a familiar, child-like voice rang down the hall as Akechi opened the door, peering inside. Not a burgler; but defiantly a thief…

  
"Morgana…? What are you -- " the sight of the black and white cat shocked Akechi enough he felt his mask of calm, collected intelligence slip just a fraction. What was -- _…it was that damned Joker's idea…_

  
"Everyone wanted to see you but your phone was off so I, the great Morgana has come to grace you with my presence this evening!" Morgana announced loudly, tail curling as he rose to his paws, “Everyone was worried you know. Not that I know why…” the cat muttered, the jab almost causing Akechi to flinch but instead he busied himself with removing his shoes at the door with a sigh. Of all the days, it had to be today…

  
“What’s in here…” Morgana asked, plastic rustling as he stuck his head into the bag with a _mrow_ of surprise, “Cake?! What’s this for! Were you gonna have a party?” he asked, paws kneading into the carpet as he looked up at Akechi, blue eyes wide with excitement.

  
The detective cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck, glancing away from the other persona user. He really hadn’t calculated for this at all… “It was…a gift, for myself.” He said simply before standing up, picking the bag up and walking down the hall. Flipping the lights on he couldn’t help but glance around the single room flat. Nothing was out of place, at least, save for the window which was ajar slightly. That must be how he got in… Akechi shook his head and set the bag on the small dining table in the middle of the room, watching as Morgana jumped beside it, still sniffing.

  
“A gift? Did you have a good day or something? Akira usually brings me sushi when we’ve had a good day in Mementos – or Sojiro gives us extra helpings of curry when he aces a test!” Akechi couldn’t help but narrow his eyes slightly before sitting down, taking the cake out of the plastic. He knew enough about Morgana to know the questions were innocent enough (after all, he couldn’t use his Persona outside of the distortions and on top of that he was stuck in that form) but he still kept his guard up. Revealing too much information was…

  
“Not like that. This is..different.” Akechi began, picking his words carefully, staring down at the cake with the faintest of sighs. It was only a convenience store cake but he knew the flavor would be good. On top of that they had actually written what he asked on it in thin lines of chocolate glaze, the strawberries practically gleaming with the powdered sugar they had dusted on top.

  
It really did look delicious…

  
“Happ….happy….” Morgana had padded his way toward the cake, peering at it through slitted eyes. His Japanese wasn’t perfect, probably due to his lapse of memory but, still, it should have been easy enough to figure out, “It’s your birthday?!” Morgana gasped, looking up at Akechi, “Why didn’t you say anything?!”

  
“It’s not that big of a deal Morgana. You don’t even remember your own birthday.” Akechi said simply, watching in mild amusement as his ears flattened and fur bristled.

  
“Hey! Watch it Akechi! I’m gonna get my memories back and then I’ll have the best birthday ever! But – s-still! You didn’t tell anyone…” Morgana mewed, paws kneading the table as he looked at the cake, tail drooping a little. For a moment, Akechi felt bad for the cat and was tempted to mimic Akira’s motions of petting him. He always did look so soft and happy, especially under the ministrations of the Phantom Thief leader. Shaking his head subtly, Akechi merely clenched his fists under the table and flashed Morgana his best television smile.

  
“It’s really nothing. I’m used to spending this day alone. I was very busy at the station anyway so this is probably for the best.”

  
“No way!” Morgana sat down, nodding to himself as he looked at Akechi, “Just ‘cause I lost my memories doesn’t mean I forgot the value of these things. No one should be alone for their birthday!” Akechi felt a cold wave of dread wash through him. If he suggested what he thought… “So I, Morgana, shall join you for this day!”

  
At least It’s not the rest of them… “I-it’s really fine Morgana. I’m used to it!” Akechi tried to argue with a nervous wave of his hands, chuckling a little just to add to his apparent dismay.

  
“Nope! I’ve already decided,” Morgana nodded and hopped off the table to charge toward the discard plastic bag, “First off…well, you got the cake already. So next is the candles!” The black and white cat stuck his head in the bag only to gasp and lift his head a moment later, “There aren’t any candles in here!”

  
Akechi furrowed his brow a moment, considering just tossing him back onto the street so the cat could trudge home to Akira but even he had to admit that it had been too long since he had had anyone accompany him for his birthday. Sae had tried once to bring him to sushi but it had quickly turned into the whole police force tagging along. It had annoyed him so much he had left without saying a word after the sake had come to the table. Since then he really had much preferred to spend his time alone..   
“Akechi! Are you listening?!” He blinked and looked down, Morgana standing before him on the table once more.

  
“I – I’m sorry. It has been a long day… What were you saying?”

  
“I was _saying_ that we gotta get some candles! Come on!” Morgana huffed, tugging on his sleeve with his teeth.

 

“I – I cannot carry you in my bag like Akira does. There isn’t enough space in there for you.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. Morgana could fit in his briefcase but the closed space would had irritated the already nosy cat.

  
“That’s okay! Just stick me in your jacket! Joker did that once and it was fine. Like this!” Morgana purred already hopping into Akechi’s lap and wriggling his way under the hem of his coat, pressing himself against his chest until he had climbed himself further enough up his chest so his black and white head was peeking from the top, “Myahaha! Easy.”

  
“This is quite uncomfortable…” Akechi added as he tried to stand, feeling Morgana slipping slightly before he caught him, holding him in place, “Does Jo – I mean, Akira, do this often?” He asked with a nervous chuckle.

  
“Well, not all the time. Only when we go to the grocery store and he’s too lazy to take his bag,” Morgana began with a chuckle, “Everyone already knows us there so they don’t really question it! I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Akechi glanced down at Morgana with a quizzical look before releasing a sigh. There was no way he was getting out of this, was there?

  
“…fine.” He agreed reluctantly, checking his pockets for his wallet before proceeding to the door and heading back out into the night.

  
\---

  
“Ooo…pick those. I like those!” Morgana meowed from Akechi’s jacket, causing the detective to shove him back down with a scowl.

  
“Stop talking.” Akechi muttered, glancing through the candles. It wasn’t a problem of picking the candles, but Morgana just would not be silent. Is this what Akira dealt with daily? He could he stand it…?! The brunette grabbed the pack Morgana suggested (more expensive than the rest but money was no issue to him) and a set of large numbers (again, Morgana began whining as soon as he saw them) and carried them to the register with a mild smile on his face.

  
“Oh! You’re back!” The clerk greeted with a chuckle. A girl no older than twenty, smiling at Akechi, “…you really want these ones?” she asked, picking up the candles and scanning them into the register.

  
“They were…a special request from someone.” Akechi replied, not quite meeting her eye as she laughed again, putting the candles in the bag.

  
“I’m sure they want you to have a good night, Akechi-kun. O-oh…is that too informal?” The clerk began to blush, busily taking his money as Akechi handed it to her. It really wasn’t the first time someone had called him by his name in public. Especially the girls… They would always get embarrassed or flustered. It was too easy actually…

  
“Ow!” Akechi snapped out of his thoughts, feeling Morgana’s claws sink into his shoulder beneath his coat, covering it with his signature laugh, “N-no, you’re fine. Thank you for your hard work tonight. Please be safe walking home.” He added, taking the candles with a small wince. ..cat claws hurt more than he thought..

  
“I-I will! Thank you, Akechi-kun. ..a-and..happy birthday..”

  
Akechi stopped short as he turned to leave, debating with himself for a moment what he should say. Only a second passed before the detective smiled at the clerk, giving her the tiniest of waves, “Thank you.” He answered, walking out of the store.

  
He couldn’t quite tell if he meant it or not.

  
\---

  
“You’re quite annoying, you know that?”

  
Akechi glanced down at Morgana, cheek resting in the palm of his hand as the cat sat in his lap staring excitedly at the fully decorated cake. At his comment, blue eyes snapped up to meet Akechi’s with a huff, “Just cause I said the cake looks perfect now isn’t any reason to call me annoying…! I was stating a fact.”

  
“That isn’t a fact, it’s an opinion, Morgana.”

  
“Whatever!”

  
Akechi chuckled softly, reaching for the box of matches on the table, taking one out and lighting it. He still wasn’t sure if Morgana knew the types of candles he had been forced to buy but there was something somewhat amusing about the childlike wonder the cat seemed to have over something as simple as a birthday. It was, in reality, just another day. Nothing special. It was just another day toward adulthood (though for Akechi that day came and went long before he was considered legal). It would still be awkward for him when the other officers invited one another for drinks. He still wouldn’t fit in amongst his classmates. It was just another day in the calendar. There were dozens, perhaps hundreds or thousands of others who shared this day.

  
…it wasn’t special…

  
“Well…?! Are you gonna light it already?” Morgana snapped, kneading his paws (thankfully no claws were used this time) into Akechi’s lap in impatience.

  
“Yes, yes…” he murmured, lighting the candles in silence. He didn’t know what to expect, actually. The first candles, a large ‘18’ lit perfectly normally and yet Morgana was still entranced by them, the flames reflected in his ever widening blue eyes. The last candles lit for only a moment before exploding with a loud popping noise and an array of sparkles and colors. From his lap, Morgana yowled, leaping into the air, fur fluffed out before darting to the other side of the room, watching the sparkler candles continue to burn in their array of colors and flashes and yet… Once the initial shocked died down, that wonderment soon reappeared in those big blue eyes.

  
“…woah...” Morgana breathed, tail curling as he crept back toward the table, planting his paws on the side, peering over the edge, “That’s…so…cool!!” He exclaimed, bouncing excitedly around the table, “Did you know that was gonna happen? That’s amazing! Humans are amazing!”

  
Akechi looked at the candles for just a moment, then at Morgana, baffled. He was amazed. ..by candles. Simple, sparkler candles reduced the well of knowledge of Mementos and beyond into what could only be child-like wonder. Out of all the Phantom Thieves, it was Akira and Morgana who baffled Akechi the most. They were too…unpredictable. …too human.

It was…annoying.

  
He could stop it right now. It would be too easy. Morgana was right there; completely defenseless. His guard was down. He could get rid of him right now…

  
“Do you wanna eat?” Morgana’s voice cut through his thoughts, just as Akechi brought up his hand he blinked down at the cat who he could have sworn was grinning at him.

  
“..e-excuse me..?”

  
“Do you wanna eat the cake? It looks delicious! Akira says as long as there’s no chocolate I should be fine…” He explained, resting his chin on the edge of the table with a satisfied purr. Akechi just stared at him before rising from his seat without a word, walking into the kitchen to look for a knife and plates. It was baffling. Truly and utterly baffling; and yet, Akechi felt…happy? He wasn’t alone. And he didn’t mind it.

  
Bringing the plates over, Akechi quickly blew out the candles in one breath, Morgana purring his congratulations as he did so before proceeding to cut the cake. The detective took care to avoid the drizzles of chocolate on Morgana’s slice before setting the plate in front of him and then cut himself a piece as well, making sure there were some of the sugar dusted strawberries on his plate. While normally sharing a meal with a cat would have been seen as odd or strange (or even a sign that one has lost their mind), Akechi couldn’t help it when a genuine smile graced his lips, albeit a small one.

 

“Let’s eat.” Akechi began, Morgana echoing after him as he took a bite of the cake he hadn’t actually planned on eating that night. Sweet, moist – delicious; it was everything someone would want in their cake.

  
“This is amazing!” Morgana meowed, whipped cream all over his muzzle as he shoved his face into the plate for another bite, “Birthdays are awesome!”

  
“You really don’t remember having a birthday?” Akechi asked, his genuine curiosity getting the best of him as he reached forward, wiping some of the frosting off of Morgana’s face with a snort.

  
“Hey, stop!” Morgana whined, batting at his hand playfully with his paws, “This would be my first one. I’m glad I got to spend it with you Akechi."

  
“I…” Akechi seemed at a loss for words as he trailed a hand from his muzzle to the cats head, stroking one of his ears as Morgana began to purr, taking another bite of cake. He watched his tail curl in glee and closed his eyes in thought for only a moment. He had wondered what brought the cat here in the first place. Was it to spy on him? Was it to taunt him? Was it to… He didn’t really want to think of the alternative but as he stroked the cats head, watching him purr happily, his doubts seemed to disappear as easily as the smoke from the candles.

  
“I am glad you were here too, Morgana.”

  
“Really?!”

  
Akechi nodded, curling a finger under his chin to scratch beneath his collar, “…yes. I am.”

  
“So..we can do this again right? Next time we should have sushi!” Morgana exclaimed, rising to his paws, rubbing his head against Akechi’s hand one last time before turning away toward the window.

  
“Sushi…? ..let me guess, you’d like something expensive?” Akechi laughed softly, watching the cat jump onto the windowsill with a laugh.

  
“Mrwhahaha! You got it! I’ll surprise you again, so don’t get scared the next time you see me here, got it?” Morgana ordered, tail waving back and forth before he disappeared out the window into the night.

  
“…I’ll be looking forward to it.” And for the first time in a long time, Akechi Goro meant every word.


End file.
